The School of Biological Sciences Spring 2024 Seminar Series presents Dr. Stephen Nicholas Housley

The burgeoning field of ‘cancer-neurobiology’ centers on studying interactions among cancer, the nervous system, and cancer treatment. My recent multi-scale studies provide the first evidence that cancer and chemotherapy interact non-linearly to exacerbate neurologic disorders experienced by patients. In this talk, I will present evidence that multiple loci throughout the central- and peripheral nervous systems jointly contribute to maladaptive phenotypes. I will share results of my ongoing studies that integrate biophysical modeling, in vivo electrophysiology, kinematic evaluation, spatially informed omics, and in vivo gene knockdown to identify underlying molecular mechanism(s). Serendipitously, my studies also identified multiple pathways that link neurons to cancer. Cancer is suspected to subvert and repurpose core neuronal mechanisms to its advantage, yet little is known. I will conclude by sharing a new theme of my research program aimed at defining how these two diverse biological processes converge, with a particular interest in understanding how the nervous system responds to and influences cancer.